Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature, by Linda Lear A Life In Nature Chronology of Beatrix Potter's Life 1866 July 28 Helen Beatrix Potter born in 2 Bolton Gardens, South Kensington, London, first child of Helen and Rupert Potter. 1871 Beatrix spends first summer holiday at Dalguise House, Dunkeld, Scotland, her summer home for the next 11 years and her first experience in nature on her own. 1872 Beatrix and Spot 1881 first entry at age 15 in her Journal in a code devised by her, a simple letter for letter substitution which was 'cracked' by Leslie Linder in 1958. 1882 The Potter family's first Lake District holiday at Wray Castle in the Lake District. Beatrix meets Hardwicke Rawnsley, one of the three founders of the National Trust. 1883 Annie Carter(age 19) engaged as governess and companion for 16yr old Beatrix, to teach German. Death of Edmund Potter, Beatrix's artistic, entrepreneurial and very wealthy paternal grandfather.

1885 Carter leaves to marry Edwin Moore , Noel Moore, the first child of 6 children, is born two years later. Beatrix acquires a rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer. 1886 first recorded microscopic watercolour -- gnat's leg. Beatrix and William Gaskell Beatrix develops serious rheumatic fever affecting her heart. She paints her first known fungus. 1889 Benjamin Bouncer models for Potter family Christmas cards. 1890 Beatrix sells first drawings to Hildesheimer & Faulkner of London, used as greeting cards and illustrations to book of rhymes, A Happy Pair by Frederic E. Weatherly. 1891 death of Jessy Potter, Beatrix's adored grandmother. Beatrix sketches for cards or booklets which were rejected by Frederick Warne & Co. 1892 Oct Beatrix meets Charlie McIntosh, the Perthshire naturalist in Birnam, Scotland and discusses her fungi and mosses. They establish a collaboration: exchange of material for paintings. She becomes preoccupied with painting of fungi.

1893 Sept 3 At Eastwood, Dunkeld, Scotland, Beatrix finds and paints the rare fungus `Old Man of the Woods.' Sept 4 Beatrix sends five year old Noel Moore a story about her pet rabbit, Peter. Sept 5 Beatrix sends four year old Eric Moore a picture letter about "a frog called Mr. Jeremy Fisher." 1894 Beatrix independently visits her cousin, Caroline Hutton near Gloucestershire Draws the important botanical fossil Pitus. Learns six complete plays by Shakespeare by hear. Draws Roman objects to scale from a relics collection in London McIntosh suggests she include half-step drawings of fungi to make them more botanically accurate. 1895 Nister publishes Beatrix's drawings "A Frog he would a-fishing go" Beatrix accepts commission from Caroline Martineau to draw 12 lithographs of insects for Morely College for Men. Only two survive. Unknown if other 10 were finished. 1896 May, Beatrix goes to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew with her uncle Sir Henry Roscoe to show her fungus drawings to Director Wm. Thistleton-Dyer.

July - Oct Beatrix and family spend summer holiday in Near Sawrey, "Its is as nearly perfect a little place as I have ever lived in." Dec. working on fungus reproduction . 1897 Paper presented to Linnean Society "On the Germination of the Spores of Agaricineae" by Kew scientist Wm. Massee Beatrix withdraws it to do further work. She is 31. 1901 Jan Peter Rabbit dies. Sept. Frederick Warne & Co show interest in `The Tale of Peter Rabbit in Mr. McGregor's Garden,' but reject rhyming text by Rawnsley. Beatrix refuses to add colour to her illustrations. Sept writes the story of Squirrel Nutkin in picture letter to Norah Moore Dec.16 Beatrix publishes 250 copies of the Tale of Peter Rabbit, privately. With b/w drawings and coloured frontispiece. 1902 Frederick Warne publishes 8000 copies of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, shortened and illustrated in full colour Nov. Bertram Potter secretly married in Edinburgh Dec.

Beatrix privately publishes 500 copies of The Tailor of Gloucester Peter Rabbit Patent 1903 Aug. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin published by Warne., Oct. shorter version of Tailor of Gloucester published by Warne Dec Beatrix registers her Peter Rabbit doll at the Patent Office. 1904 The Tale of Benjamin Bunny and The Tale of Two Bad Mice, published by Warne. Develops board game of Peter Rabbit with rules. 1905 July 25 Beatrix receives and accepts proposal of marriage from her editor Norman Warne against her parent's objections. She is 39. July Beatrix leaves for holiday in Wales Aug 25. Norman Warne dies of leukaemia, age 37 `Peter Rabbit' wallpaper goes on sale Sept The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle published Oct. The Pie and the Patty-Pan published Nov. Beatrix officially buys Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey 1906 July The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher published by Warne Sept Beatrix starts to breed Herdwick Sheep at Hill Top Farm 1907 The Tale of Tom Kitten published.

1908 publication of The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. 1909 Beatrix buys second farm in Near Sawrey, Castle Farm two more tales published :The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, & The Tale of Ginger and Pickles Beatrix and William Heelis Beatrix registers Jemima Puddle-Duck doll at Patent Office. 1911 The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes and Peter Rabbit's Painting Book published by Warne 1912 The Tale of Mr. Todd is published. Beatrix campaigns against hydroplanes on Windermere at the end of year, Beatrix accepts proposal of marriage from William Heelis, a Lake District solicitor. 1913 Oct. marries Heelis in London take Castle Cottage as their home, keeping Hill Top Farm as a place for Beatrix to work. Warne publishes The Tale of Piggling Bland Beatrix and Kep BP employs a woman, Louie Choyce to help her with the farm and garden.

Two more stories published 1917 Harold Warne arrested for embezzlement in London, Beatrix helps to save company with a new book, Appley Dappley's Book of Rhymes which she began in 1902. Bertram Potter dies of stroke in Scotland Tale of Johnny Town Mouse published 1919 new Warne firm incorporated, presses BP for new book Beatrix establishes District Nursing trust in Sawrey area 1920 Hardwicke Rawnsley dies 1921 Anne Carroll Moore, American superintendent of Children's Work, New York public Library visits Sawrey and encourages Beatrix to write another book. Begins a stream of American visitors to Near Sawrey. Dec. Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes published 1923 Beatrix buys Troutbeck Park Farm, 1900 acre sheep farm 1925 Jemima Puddle-Duck's Painting Book published. 1926 The Roly-Poly Pudding changed to The Tale of Samuel Whiskers Beatrix employs shepherd Tom Storey at Troutbeck Park Nov. Storey moves to Hill Top to manage farm and breed sheep.

May, sells 50 drawings through The Horn Book Magazine, Book Shop for Girls and Boys in Boston to raise money to save shoreline of Windermere from development. Visit from Henry P. Coolidge from Boston, The Fairy Caravan would be dedicated to him. 1928 Warne publishes Peter Rabbit's Almanac for 1929 1929 David McKay in Philadelphia publishes The Fairy Caravan US only until 1930 1930 63 yr old Beatrix buys 5000 acre Monk Coniston on condition that National Trust will take over half when they raise the money wins silver challenge cup for best Lake District Herdwick ewe. Sept. The Tale of Little Pig Robinson published by McKay Oct.

Trust bought half Monk Coniston, but ask Beatrix to manage entire estate 1932 McKay publishes grisly version of Bluebeard, called Sister Anne, in US only Helen Potter, Beatrix's mother dies at 93 1936 Walt Disney offers to make film of Peter Rabbit, BP refuses 1937 Beatrix hands over management of half of Monk Consiton to National Trust agent Bruce Thompson 1938 Sheep Sheep Some notes on favourite species of sheep Borrowdale (where you will still find Herdwicks) HERDWICK SHEEP An endangered species, following Foot & Mouth in 2002 We have all taken these beautiful beasts for granted over the years and, sadly, it has taken Foot and Mouth disease in 2002 to bring this special breed to the nation's awareness. The following is taken from a pamphlet found in the Tourist Information Centre in Grasmere, Cumbria: "The word Herdwick is mentioned in documents going back into the 12th century, and means 'sheep pasture'. Flocks were kept by the monks from Furness Abbeyon their farms in upper Eskdale at Brotherilkeld, mainly for their wool.

Beatrix Potter had a very keen interest in the breed and, just before her death in 1942, she left a number of her farms to the National Trust with the stipulation that Herdwick sheep must be kept, an obligation which still exists to this day on selected farms. This has resulted in generations of Herdwick sheep being raised on the same fell sides from which there is little movement. The elimination of entire herds due to the foot and mouth disease therefore interrupts this unique phenomenon - merely replacing stock is not as easy as it seems as, if introduced onto fellsides, it will take years to become properly established. Maintaining Herdwick flocks on the fells is crucial as they assist in producing the landscape we all know, however in economic terms life is difficult for breeders as the rough terrain the sheep frequent often means that not all ewes lamb, and very few produce twins. Herdwick wool has the lowest value of any British Wool, the sale of which rarely covers the expense of clipping. Herdwick meat however is a different story, offering excellent flavour and being recognised as providing high quality. It was the meat eaten at the Coronation Dinner in 1953".

Herdwick sheep at Ullswater The Crookabeck Herdwicks Herdwick (and Swaledale) sheep at High Yewdale - picture by Tony Richards For a friendly sheep who climbs over your web page, try this little programme . Download it to your desktop, double click and the sheep appears. The more times you click the more sheep you get! Don't worry, they go away when you close down the computer! Right click on the sheep and try different commands (all in Japanese of course, so it's pot luck) and see if you can find the spaceship (and other things besides!) . . . and for bleating sheep, these two .wav files: and for sheep who sing Blake's New Jerusalem . . . try or, as part of an MP3 file: SOUTHDOWN SHEEP Visit the Southdown Sheep Society web site from whence much of the information below has been gleaned HISTORY The Southdown sheep has roamed the Sussex Downlands from time immemorial. Around 200 years ago, John Ellman of Glynde, near Lewes, in Sussex commenced a radical improvement of the breed by selection within the breed - no outcrossing.

His work was continued by Jonas Webb of Babraham in Cambridgeshire, who developed a somewhat larger animal which was used in the creation of the other Down breeds. The peak of the Southdown's popularity was from about 1790 to the 1914-18 War. During this time they were to be found on many of the large estates in flocks of 1000 or over, as well as being in the possession of yeoman farmers. Although it had been exported to many parts of the world, probably it had its greatest impact in New Zealand, where it was the sire used in the production of the "Canterbury Lamb", a position it held for many decades. The Southdown of today has returned to a larger more active sheep, partly due to the reintroduction of New Zealand and French blood. FURTHER HISTORY Southdowns have been around for centuries, and their lineage is indisputably ancient, reaching back to a time "older than the peerage". In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries they were to be found in quantity especially in and around the area of the South Downs near Lewes in Sussex, and it was from here they gained their name.

It has been estimated that there were some 110,000 sheep in Sussex in 1341 and their wool was second only to the Hereford sheep in fineness and quality. In 1813, nearly five centuries later, the Reverend Arthur Young estimated that there were 200,000 ewes kept on the eastern South Downs and commented that "the amazing number they keep is one of the most singular circumstances in the husbandry of England". The principal reason for the large concentrations of Southdown sheep on downland farms over these centuries was their crucial role in the maintenance of soil fertility. The large flocks grazed the open downs by day and at dusk came down to the lower arable land for folding. The downland soils tend to be chalky and not naturally fertile so that the close-folding by the sheep on small areas manured and trod the soil. This meant that bread wheat could be grown successfully the following year. With the gradual introduction of new crops such as field turnips, swedes, kohl rabi and other forage crops the folding system took off as never before, increasing in parallel with expanding human population.

The system reached its zenith in the 'Golden Years' lasting from about 1845 to 1870 or 80. Then began the Great Depression. A severe and prolonged fall in the prices of wool and cereals due to rising volumes of imports from the New Countries was accompanied by the Wet Years - a six year period of cold wet weather with little sun. In 1883 the weather relented but the Depression continued. New men and new methods in farming were just beginning to move onto the scene but so sound was the classic downland farming system that even by Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 the sheep-and-corn system was still intact. The New Century brought with it the establishment of pedigree recording. By 1911 there were 359 registered Southdown flocks containing some 114,495 breeding ewes throughout Britain. About this time it was noticed that dairy cows were rising in numbers. Fresh milk could not then be imported and dairying became increasingly important in farming's economic survival.

But much remained the same until the Great War of 1914-1918 when the large number of folding Southdown flocks declined with some rapidity, as shepherds and farm workers went off to war. By 1922 the short-lived War-time farming boom had evaporated and the 359 pedigree flocks had shrunk to 245. The number of dairy herds continued to grow apace but from 1922 to 1939 the registered Southdown flocks hovered around the 200 mark. Folding flocks were no longer economic and smaller flocks averaged only 135 ewes apiece. The use of artificial fertilizers had gained ground and the combine-drill, which sowed grain seeds and fertilizer together, rendered close-folding by sheep unnecessary. Gradually surrendering to basic arable farming changes, the Southdown became largely a grassland breed. During the inter-war years the United Kingdom became known as the stud-farm of the world in all the farm species and pedigree Southdowns were still being exported to most parts of the world, with New Zealand taking the lion's share.

In 1937 the number of exported Southdowns reached 459 head. In 1939 World War II again intervened and the Southdown breed was once more hit badly. The South Down hills were commandeered for military training, only fringe farms being left producing milk for the towns, the others misused as target practice and their very nature changed by the demolition of all the traditional farm buildings. THE SPREAD OF THE BREED TO NEW ENGLAND AND BEYOND (from an American website) The Southdown sheep is a very hardy breed of domestic sheep, and is valued primarily for its lambs. Southdowns breed once a year and the ewes produce more amounts of high quality lambs than any other breed. Southdowns are often used for crossbreeding with other species in order to produce more meaty lambs. Sheep in general were domesticated by man around 8,000 years ago. The history of the Southdown, however, has only been traced back a few centuries. Few facts are known about this breed prior to this time, except that they were a hardy race and probably indigenous to a restricted area in England, from whence the Southdown got its name.

The Southdown acquired its name from the hills, or 'downs', of Sussex, England. These rolling hills cover an area of only sixty miles long and about six miles wide. It is thought that the Southdown sheep we know today originated from the sheep that grazed the downs centuries ago. The introduction of the Southdown to the United States possibly occurred in the 1600s, when the sheep were brought to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 and to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1628. By 1676 sheep were plentiful in New England, and were considered 'native' to the area. However, these sheep were known to have descended from importations from 1628 and later. These "native sheep" were called "Irish" or "English Smuts", and were probably descendants from the old English Southdowns. By 1900, Southdowns were well established in the United States. The size and length of the Southdown sheep is much larger today than 300 years ago due to successful attempts at improving the breed. Improvement in the American Southdown breed has been accomplished through mutual cooperation and competition among breeders and will continue to occur.

Although much attention has been given to breeding Southdowns, this species is still considered a minor breed of domestic animal, This means that the animal exists in small numbers and is possibly in danger of extinction. The Southdown, like many other breeds, has possibly replaced its ancestral counterpart. As agricultural practices change to meet the needs of the future, the genetic diversity and valuable qualities of the older breeds become more and more important. The American Minor Breeds Conservancy is an organization dedicated to help save these rare breeds of livestock. The status of the Southdown sheep is listed as WATCH under this organization. WATCH means that there are fewer that 2,500 North American registrations annually and less than 10,000 globally. Going under the name of Baby-Doll Southdowns, certain of the surviving small, original breed of animal have been exported to America, where there are now a few farms specialising in what they consider to be miniature animals. The following is taken from an American web site for Sweetwater Farm, Maryland, at: "One of the oldest of the English Breeds of sheep is the Southdown, originating on the South Down hills of Sussex County, England.

These small sheep were know for their extreme hardiness and produced meat with unmatched tenderness and flavor then any other breed of sheep. "In 1780 John Ellman, realized the potential of these animals and set out to standardize the Southdown breed. In England, these small Southdowns grew in popularity up until 1908 when there were approximately 367 registered flocks totalling about 110,000 ewes. The growth in this breeds' development slowed in the early 1900's as World War I brought a sharp decline in their numbers. By the end of the World War II, the demand for larger cuts of meat had almost forced the breed into extinction. "It is believed that the breed reached the United States in 1803. Their popularity grew and later declined in nearly the same pattern that had occurred in England. The small Southdown could not satisfy the consumer demand for larger meat cuts. This was a significant factor in the development and mass production of the larger, leggier Southdown of today. This divergence from the original breed standards was the beginning of what would later become two distinct lines: The Southdown and the miniature (or original) Southdown.

In breeding for these larger characteristics however, many of the original "miniature" attributes were bred out and nearly lost. Each year brought a further decline in the number of these "original" Southdowns. "In 1986, Mr. Robert Mock began a search for the sheep with the original blood lines and that conformed to the original Southdowns of the 1700's. However, finding them proved to be difficult. At one point they were believed to be extinct. After a four-year search, two small flocks totalling 26 sheep were located; however, this group would not be able to provide a sustainable gene pool. After an extensive search, a total of 350 of these miniature sheep were located. Many of them still carried their original Southdown registration papers. "To distinguish these small sheep from the larger modern-era Southdown, Mr. Mock named them “Olde English Babydoll Southdowns". To keep this line pure, a registration was formed. Only adults two years and older were accepted so that they could be judged against the original conformation standards as verified by a veterinarian. Each sheep's registration application was passed before a board of three members of the Breed Association.

After this initial review and acceptance period, the "Foundation Flock" registry was closed in 1991. The term Foundation Flock is still used to refer to this original pool of sheep. "Subsequently, the process of registering lambs from this original foundation flock began. The registry now celebrates many years of success with the preservation of the “babydolls”. It gives my wife and I great pleasure being part of the preservation of this wonderful little sheep. But most of all, they are a wonderful animal to own… " Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train - Windermere Forum - TripAdvisor Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train - Windermere Forum Review a place you’ve visited JOIN Which Windermere hotels are on sale? mm/dd/yyyy mm/dd/yyyy Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 22, 2012, 8:09 PM I will be in London in August and want to take the train out to the Windermere Station. How do I get from there to Hill Top and back? Is the nearby village within walking distance? If I get up very early can I make a day of it and return to London by 10pm? Thanks for any help!

Travelers interested in this topic also viewed... Show Prices 1. Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 23, 2012, 2:54 AM Hill Top is in a villlage on the other side of Lake Windermere and would probabaly be a bit far too walk although it would be possible using the chain ferry. Look at the national trust web site for the property and it should give details of local bus services - I think there is a one from the end of the Windermere ferry but it may not be very frequent. Hill Top is a very long way for a day trip from London. One attraction mentioned in this post 2. Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 23, 2012, 3:45 AM Windermere train station is in the town of Windermere (as you would expect). It is then 2.5 miles from there to Bowness at the Eastern edge of Lake Windermere (you could get a taxi). You then have to cross Lake Winderemre on the Ferry. It is then about two miles from the West side of the lake to Hill Top.

I did it years ago and seem to remember there was very little on the West side of the lake so not even sure you could pick up a taxi. I also seem to remembr it was a steep climp up from the lake side to Hilltop. I agree with previous poster, this is a difficult trip to get done in a day. Report inappropriate content 3. Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 23, 2012, 4:14 AM You obviously sound like a fan of Beatrix Potter so could I suggest staying a little longer so that you can see the landscape that inspired her. The area deserves at the very minimum an overnight stay, realistically a weekend. I'd be very surprised if you are not also taken aback by the beauty of the area - there is nowhere else like it in England. Try if you can to add on another day :) As an alternative you might want to consider getting a taxi from Windermere if you are pushed for time. Report inappropriate content 4.

Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 23, 2012, 8:07 AM There is a Beatrix Potter trip run by the Mountain Goat tour company which includes a visit to Hill Top. It departs from Windermere at 12pm and returns at 5pm. It would be an extremely long day for you, the train journey alone takes around 3.5 hours each way, but just possible. Report inappropriate content 5. Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 23, 2012, 9:15 AM Wow! Thanks for the great posts!! Yes, I am a fan! In fact, I am recreating Hill Top as a 1:12 scale doll house, hence the desire to see it for myself. I WILL stay overnight!! Am still curious about the ability to get a cab to the ferry. I understand from reading that it is a downhill walk.....but if I have an overnight bag..... I'd love more knowledge of the are if anyone has ideas! Thank you all! 6.

Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 23, 2012, 9:49 AM If you are interested in Beatrix Potter and her life, you should definitely spend time in the Lake District , as that way you will understand more about her. As well as being a gifted writer and illustrator of children's books, she was a bright scientist and botanist, developing her illustrative skills through her accomplished drawings of plants and flowers. Her early ambitions as a botanist were curtailed by several setbacks due to her being female, and in 1997 the Linnaeus Society issued a posthumous apology to her for its sexist handling of her work and research one hundred years before. She had a lifelong love of the Lake District, and with the proceeds from her books and an inheritance was able to buy Hill Top Farm. Over the next few decades she would go on to buy more farms, in order to preserve the Lake District landscape and its way of life. She herself was a keen farmer and conservator, and a prize-winning breeder of the local Herdwick sheep, the local breed - she is widely credited with saving the breed from extinction.

She did marry, but later in life and very much on her own terms, and she herself did not have children. On her death, most of her lands and property was bequeathed to the National Trust. 7. Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 24, 2012, 9:17 AM Hello You could do the whole trip in a day and if you want to check train times I suggest that you use virgintrains.co.uk. You leave london from London Euston and as an example for tomorrow could leave at 5.39 and arrive in Windermere at 9.33. The last train back is at 20.00 but that does not get in until 23.38 but there are plenty of trains before that. No matter what time you go you will have to change trains at Oxenholme. When in the lake district if cost is not a problem you could simply get a taxi direct from the station to Hill Top the journey is about 11 miles round the top of the lake.

Most people spend about an hour at Hill Top and then you simply must visit the Beatrix Potter Gallery in Hawkshead this is about two mile from Hill Top and is her husbands old office. It has many of her original drawings on display and I think it is a must see. Hawkshead is a charming village and you could easily spend two or three hours their in total. All details of both properties can be found on nationaltrust.org.uk but they are BOTH shut on Fridays! If you do take a taxi you will have to get them to wait while you visit Hill Top as it is right out in the country and you will not get another from their!! You can do this all in a day but is you can spare a night that would be so much nicer, either way you will have a great experience. One destination mentioned in this post 8. Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 25, 2012, 6:13 AM You can walk down to the ferry point in about 30-35 minutes from Windermere. But if you're in a rush then a taxi to Hilltop would be better - and then book one for when you want to leave.

As you are pushed for time the suggestion of a Mountain Goat tour is a good one. You could also do a lake cruise and combine that with a steam train ride. There is a lovely Victorian park called Fell Foot Park on the other side of Lakeside which is a cruise/steam train stop off point. In Ambleside at the top end of Windermere (the lake not the town) is the Bridge House - supposedly the most photographed building in the Lake District . Google it and you'll see what it looks like. It would be worth working out exactly how long you have available and then we could help you with other suggestions. 2 destinations mentioned in this post 9. Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 26, 2012, 3:32 PM Check with the National Trust that you will be able to visit Hill Top at a date and time to suit you. We have heared of people being turned away or having a long wait as the volume of visitors, particularly during the summer holiday season, is so great. A timed-ticket, when you have rail connections to make could turn into a nightmare!

The NT guide book states 'tickets cannot be booked and early sell-outs are possible, especially during school holidays.' Also suggests 'Windermere Cross Lakes Experience' website. hilltop@nationaltrust.org.uk 10. Re: Getting to Hill Top when arriving by Train Jun 26, 2012, 5:48 PM It's a good point made by 'eller583' about no guaranteed entry. It is the case that you will be given a timed ticket which might be an hour or so after you arrive at Hill Top. After the film 'Miss Potter' was shown there were occasions in the summer months when they had to turn people away. The reason is that Hill Top is a small property and it would be impossible to accomodate lots of people at the same time. It's a wonderful place to visit. When we've visited Hill Top we've always aimed to get there as early in the day as possible. We usually walk down the hill from Windermere, cross over on the car ferry and then follow the well-signposted 2 mile walk.

If you have to wait an hour for your 'timed' slot you could do a walk to Moss Eccles Tarn or the nearby 'Tower Bank Arms' pub which both have Beatrix Potter connections. The Mountain Goat would be worth a look because if you booked on one of their tours it might guarantee your entry and you would also know better about timings to get back for your train. Report inappropriate content My Favorite New Word . . . | Susan Branch Blog My Favorite New Word . . . Posted on July 3, 2012 by sbranch One of my favorite new words, which I learned while talking to a clerk in a bookstore in Ambleside when I was buying a book on sheep, is “heaf.” (Yes, I now buy books on sheep! Please don’t let this influence your decision about whether or not to keep reading.) To put this word into context, I had to learn another new word: “fell.” A fell is what they call a mountainside in the Lake District area; they might say, “fellside,” instead of mountainside. “Heaf,” then, is an old Norse word that describes a certain area of fellside where sheep graze. Picture it for a moment. See the hill?

See the sheep? (Don’t worry, this has a good ending and stops being like the 4th grade in about one second). Beatrix Potter (you like it better already, don’t you?) raised a breed of sheep (endangered at the time), called Herdwick sheep . She especially liked this breed because it remembers its native heaf and returns to it instinctively. It’s said that Herdwick sheep are “heafed to the fell.” Isn’t that great? Heafed to the fell. Says it all. I’m heafed too; heafed to my own version of fell, which happens to be this↓. H o m e . (When I think about it, it’s such a short uncomfortable leap from “heafed to the fell,” to “heifer on the hill!” I know my dad will try to work in a joke here somewhere — I think I make it too easy for him! ♥) The kitties were happy to see us (but not as happy as I was to see them!), Girl Kitty cried (my baby); we have been joined at the hip ever since; she has never slept cozier, next to me!

Jack still has his round kitty eyes, he still chases the ball, he sashays back and forth, curling around my legs, saying, in no uncertain words, I’m so happy you are H o m e ! We drove up the back driveway, to the smell of cut grass and the old boxwood around the kitchen door. Dragged the twelve or fourteen (we’ve lost count) bags into the house, kissed the kitties, and pulled out all the cute things we brought home, arranged them on the dining room table, going Ohhh, and Ahhh, and Remember this? Woke up yesterday morning in our own bed!!! First words: Where am I? Made tea, started a load of laundry, took my cup and walked all over the yard, to see what’s up in the garden, to smell the roses, pull a couple of weeds; when Joe got up, we walked out through the woods to the pond; how’re the wild blueberries doing this year?; came home, more unpacking, more laundry, and we hung our flag on the house. Which requires antics on our part, hanging out open upstairs windows.

Last night we walked down to the harbor ↑ to look at the moon and get a whiff of breezy salt air; the outdoor restaurants were lit up and filled with summer people, the terns were swooping and diving into the water, making those little plopping water noises . . . we window-shopped down our little Main Street; stopped for ice cream cones (pistachio and mocha chip in sugar cones), then walked back up the hill; our neighborhood was so quiet; a million fireflies flicked through the bushes around us. H o m e. Because we are H o m e, we have heafed to the fell . . . and the timing couldn’t be more perfect: Martha’s Vineyard looks and smells like a million bucks. The whole place is dressed to kill, little straps falling off shoulders and everything. And now, the Fourth of July! How perfect! So what are you doing tomorrow? I hope it’s something fun! We’re going to walk across the street, to my girlfriend Martha’s, for a good ole’ barbecue with our friends and their kids. All-American hamburgers and hot dogs — and potluck for the rest of it.

We’re bringing crunchy White Bean Salad , and cold Lemon Rice salad; made gorgeous with fresh herbs and lots of colorful flower petals; even if you’re not cooking, a look at a photo of this salad is worth it . . . so pretty! . . . and Joe’s hot garlic French Bread. How bad can it be? I Tweeted the recipes today, but, just in case you missed them, here we go again! America the Beautiful! God shed his grace on thee. And us too, please. ♥ I feel so lucky. Number One, when you go away, you’re never quite sure you’ll make it back alive . . . but we did! Out and back, like clockwork! And number two; we’re Home. Heafed and Happy. And we will never, ever, ever, forget the beauty of the Mother Country; the world history that’s encompassed there, and the smart, funny, charming people we met along the way. ♥ And I will never ever forget how wonderful it was traveling with YOU! The funnest girls ever!

I have lots more photos and moments to tell you about; there’s also a very special give-away coming soon, to mark this trip; it was pretty good, don’t you think? It deserves something special . . . after I get the mail taken care of, I’ll be back!! Mmmm. Someone just lit their barbecue in our neighborhood . . . the smell is coming in through the window of my studio. Two summer smells I love: coconut suntan lotion and a just-lit barbecue. Happy 4th Everyone! ♥ God Bless America.

Question: Which breed of sheep did Beatrix Potter breed at Hilltop Farm and help to save from extinction?
Answer: HERDWICK